Most Detroiters in a decade worked in September

Ian Thibodeau and Breana Noble Associated Press Published 5:55 PM EST Nov 8, 2018 Detroit – More Detroit residents went to work in September than any point this decade, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And nearly 2,500 more Detroiters were employed in September than in August. The statistics are the latest in a string of economic improvements for the city, though unemployment in Detroit still hadn’t recovered from pre-Great Recession numbers. The lower unemployment rate is due largely to a strong U.S. economy, according to Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC Financial Services. Preliminary figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed unemployment in Detroit at 7.9 percent and that more than 228,700 people were working. That’s an increase of nearly 2,457 over August when the jobless rate was 9.2 percent. Detroit’s unemployment rate was 28.9 percent in June 2009. Michigan’s unemployment rate was 4 percent in September. The U.S. unemployment rate is about 3.7 percent. Mayor Mike Duggan said more residents are enrolling in Detroit at Work training programs. More than 2,000 people enrolled in the programs in 2017-18, compared to 900 the previous year. Faucher said Detroit’s economic growth is more closely tied to growth of the national economy than other large cities because of Detroit’s ties to the U.S. auto industry. He also said that Detroit’s economic growth might soon plateau — the city’s population was still down in 2017 despite the return of business to the greater downtown area. Given the population disparity… [Read full story]